What would you do with this pile?

Frank Giglio

Posts: 20

Location: Thorndike, Maine

2

posted 3 years ago

The house we purchased came with a nice pile of fir branches and stumps and is now being overgrown with raspberry. Thought about trying to break it down, or burning it. It's about 2-3 feet high, by about 8-10 feet wide and next too the garden. Any thoughts, suggestions?

Why remove it? Why not leave it? In fact add organic material to it. It would make a great home for beneficial critters and fungi. As the wood breaks down it will feed your raspberries. If the raspberries are encroaching on the garden... dig 'em up, cut them back, the size of the patch seems controllable. Good luck!

M Winters

Posts: 7

Location: Zone 8B East Texas, USA

1

posted 3 years ago

2

The problem IS the solution! I WISH I could grow raspberries like that! Is there some pressing reason you have to move the pile? If not, enjoy the berries.

Hey M Winters, Welcome to permies. Agreed. I like to keep things as natural as possible with the least amount of work. I made a similar mistake in my permie garden. I removed wild berries and planted cultivar berries. Well, the cultivars contracted a disease from the wild berries. I now let the wild grow and I have an abundance of indigenous, great tasting, disease resistant berries bushes.

Ken Peavey

steward

Posts: 2523

Location: FL

88

posted 3 years ago

This soil in this spot is so rich that the raspberries are overgrowing it?
Seems to me it should be duplicated.

Seed the Mind, Harvest Ideas.
http://farmwhisperer.com

Frank Giglio

Posts: 20

Location: Thorndike, Maine

2

posted 3 years ago

Thanks for all the imput guys! I guess I questioned this pile as was a bit of an eye sore to me then anything else. I guess, with a different perspective, I can see it as a useful part of my garden. We have heeps of raspberries to harvest on and around this pile, so I best give thanks for such bounty!

Nick Kitchener

Posts: 464

Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

7

posted 3 years ago

1

Prune the berry canes to maximise yield and use the canes as chop and drop mulch

Alternatively, you could collect up more dead windfall from around the property, pile it in a heap, cover it with soil and have a wonderful Hugel bed for the next 30 years.

I think I'll just lie down here for a second. And ponder this tiny ad: